Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 151384 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151384 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Sampson sighed and shook his head before drawing her against him. “Luckily, no.”
She sighed in relief, leaning into him. She hated the idea of messing up. Sampson’s bark was worse than his bite, but Immy didn’t do well when she thought she had made a mistake or that someone was upset with her.
“You didn’t mess up. This time. But next time there’s someone at the door, call out for one of us, okay?”
She nodded. “I will. I’ve got it. So, these are the guys Alejandro sent?”
“Yep.” Sampson took a step back and shook his head at her. “Immy, did you not hear any of our conversation?”
“I want to say that I did, but I would be lying.” She sent Sampson a hopeful smile.
He sighed.
“Honesty is good,” Tobias said, stepping forward to stand next to Sampson.
As she’d thought, he was a tiny bit shorter and slightly wider. But they would be a near match for each other.
“This is Tobias,” Sampson told her. “He . . . works for Alejandro.”
Immy’s eyes widened as Sampson hesitated over the word ‘works.’ Did he want to insult the other man?
“Hi, I’m Immy.” She held out her hand.
“I guessed.” He took her hand in his, but instead of shaking it, he just held on. Wow. His hand was warm and slightly rough. She bet his girlfriend really liked holding his hand. She’d feel so . . . safe.
“Sampson! Immy!” Jenner yelled out from upstairs before rushing down them. Immy turned, her hand sliding free of Tobias’s.
Cupcakes.
Why did she like his touch so much?
“What is it?” Sampson barked, grabbing hold of her and pushing her behind him.
“There’re strange men in the yard. Call the cops. Where the fuck is Immy? Wait . . . who’re you?”
Immy peeked around Sampson’s arm to see Jenner gaping at Tobias.
“Tobias. Protection. Those are my men. Don’t call the cops.”
She was beginning to see that Tobias was a man of few words.
That was sexy.
Urgh, Immy. What’s wrong with you?
“Protection? Your men?” Jenner repeated.
“Alejandro sent them,” Sampson explained.
“Uh, right. You know, I’m happy to hire security,” Jenner told Tobias.
Tobias just raised an eyebrow. “Alejandro sent us.”
That was all he said. But she understood. Generally, what Alejandro wanted, he got.
“Okay. Right,” Jenner said.
Poor Jenner. Those guys with Tobias had looked rather scary and out-of-place for the neighborhood. Jenner’s neighbors were kind of snobs. And a bit mean.
“Immy, what are you doing?” Jenner asked her.
“Hmm? Oh, nothing. Sampson keeps shoving me behind him.”
She slid out from behind him to smile at Tobias. “So, welcome to our house. Our place is your place. Only, you guys are staying in the guest house. So our guest house is your house.”
“Thanks.” Tobias smiled at her as though she’d done something cute.
“You smile a lot more than I thought a gangster would,” she told him.
Immediately, Jenner grabbed her and pulled her against him. He placed one hand over her mouth and his arm went around her waist.
“Immy didn’t mean any harm,” Jenner said quickly.
Oh no.
Had she said the wrong thing? Her family was used to her mouth, but her father had constantly berated her for speaking out of turn.
Should have just shut up, Immy.
“Don’t understand why you’re apologizing for her,” Tobias said with a strange look at them both.
Jenner dropped his hand from her mouth as she tugged at it. “I’m sorry! Should I not have said that you smile a lot?” She didn’t get why that was so bad.
“It was more about the gangster part, Immy,” Jenner told her quietly.
“Ohh. Is that the wrong word? Would you prefer that I call you part of Alejandro’s crew?” she asked.
There. His lips twitched again. She had a feeling she was going to like this guy.
“How about Tobias?” he suggested.
“All right. Tobias is a nice name.”
He gave her a nod.
Wow. He was such a hot, alpha guy.
Stop it, Immy.
She shouldn’t find Tobias attractive when she was in love with Jenner. Generally, Jenner outshone everyone around him. She could never see anyone else when he was around.
Tobias didn’t have Jenner’s masculine beauty. He was far rougher. He would turn heads for different reasons. Possibly a little bit of fear since he was intimidating.
She leaned back into Jenner.
“Maeve will be home soon,” Sampson said. “There are a few things we need to discuss, if you want to come with me.”
Tobias just nodded and followed after him. Jenner turned her around to face him after they’d left.
“Immy, are you all right?” He ran his hands over her. As though searching for an injury. Which she didn’t understand.
“Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“That guy didn’t look safe.”
“You can’t judge him by the way he looks, Jenner,” she scolded. “I thought he seemed nice.”
“Nice? Baby, he’s dangerous. He works for Alejandro.”
“So that makes him safe to be around, right?”
“I don’t know. Just be careful around these guys. We don’t know them. All we know is that they work for a criminal. All right?”